* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *››           Newsletter Changes›                  by›           Thomas J. Andrews››› Welcome  to the latest version of The› Ol'   Hackers   Newsletter   program!› After so many years with  only  minor› changes our Editor, Alan Sharkis, and› I felt it was time for  a face  lift.› So,  after several email discussions,› we came  up with what  you  now  see.› Some  of the changes were implemented› in the last few newsletters, but  I'm› going to explain them all here.›› First  of all, you'll probably notice› a   lot   that's   familiar.   That's› because   we're   still   using  Kris› Holtegaard's original program and  my› original  modifications  as  a  base.› Quite   frankly,   that's  because  I› couldn't  think of  anything  better.› Simple  is almost always best in this› type of program, and  Kris'  original› concept    is    so    simple     and› straightforward  it's  difficult   to› improve upon.›› Most  of  the  changes are  cosmetic.› They start with the "Welcome" screen,› the  screen   you   see   while   the› newsletter  is  initializing.    I've› moved  the Welcome Screen loader to a› separate program, so it's loaded  and› displayed  much  more quickly and for› longer   than  before,  with  shorter› blank spots.  A new AUTORUN.SYS  file› sets the screen colors, shuts off the› I/O sounds, and eliminates display of› BASIC's READY prompt about as quickly› as   is  possible  without  modifying› DOS.SYS itself.›› You'll see the  next  change  on  the› Main  Menu.  Option #3, which used to› be printer configuration, is now "RUN› Side  2".  Since NEWSLTR.BAS requires› you to configure it for your  printer› the  first  time  you  go to print an› article, Alan and I  thought  it  was› redundant  to  do  so  from  the Main› Menu.  We think it's better to  offer› a  convenient  way  to  switch  sides› without  rebooting.   To use it, just› flip  your disk  over  and  press  3.› There's  no  disk-flipping prompt, so› if you don't  flip  the  disk  first,› you'll  simply  rerun the side you're› on.›› You've   probably  noticed  the  next› changes, on the text  reader  screen.› The line at the top, identifying this› as the Ol' Hackers Newsletter, was in› Kris'  original   version,   but   an› unnoticed  bug in a later line erased› it before the  reader could  see  it.› This  bug was carried through all the› subsequent upgrades, still unnoticed,› until  now.   This  version  restores› that   line   as   I   believe   Kris› originally intended.›› The command prompts have  been  moved› to  the  bottom  of  the  screen, and› prompts  for  the  joystick  commands› have been added.   Please  note  that› the   CONTROL-C   and   joystick-down› commands for canceling the  file  are› now  active  all the time, instead of› just when text is scrolling.›› You've also probably noticed the  new› text  scroller.  The text now scrolls› up from the bottom, leaving the  last› line of the previous page at the top,› while  the  title  and  prompt  lines› remain     stationary.     This    is› accomplished through  the  use  of  a› custom  display  list  that redirects› the stationary lines to strings  away› from  normal  screen  memory.   These› strings are preloaded with the screen› code   for   the   characters  to  be› displayed.  The Screen Editor ignores› these    redirected    lines     when› scrolling.   We  think it makes for a› better looking text reader.›› One   last   change   involves    the› correction  of  a  bug  that   wasn't› really  a  bug.  The joystick routine› uses a Vertical Blank Interupt  (VBI)› to  operate.  It works great, but the› problem was that it  remained  active› all  the  time  and  caused   display› problems  if  the  joystick was moved› when the Main Menu was on the screen.› Worse  yet,  it  wasn't  de-activated› when exiting to BASIC or when RUNning› the "space bar program".  I've  added› programming  so that the joystick VBI› is only active when reading text.›› A few other changes involving  screen› colors,  error  handling, and program› streamlining round  out  this  latest› version.›› Programmers  please note: NEWSLTR.BAS› contains three ML routines that might› be  very  useful  in  other  Atari 8K› BASIC programs.  One  is  SETVBI,  in› line  850.   This one safely sets the› VBI   vector   to   any  address  you› specify.  If  you  try  to  set  this› vector  with  BASIC  PEEKS and POKES,› you'll almost  certainly  crash  your› system.   The  other two routines are› DPEEK and DPOKE,  in  lines  700  and› 750.   These  are a convenient way to› PEEK   and   POKE   two-byte  numbers› without all that  time-  and  memory-› consuming  arithmetic.   They perform› the   same   functions   as   similar› commands in Turbo BASIC XL.›› I  hope  you enjoy the new newsletter› program.  If you have any comments or› suggestions,  my  address  is  on the› member list, or you can email  me  at› tandrews16@delphi.com.   Or,  get   a› message  to Alan Sharkis and I'm sure› he will relay it to me.›› Tom Andrews›› * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *›››